I've started playing this and I'm trying to make some sense of it. The time of day element is confusing. What am I trying to do in three days? I have this schedule but I don't know if I need to be somewhere, or if they are optional. I can enter the swamp, but not really sure if I've done enough in town first.

You should recall the creepy mask salesman imploring you to regain your lost Ocarina during this time period (in somewhat vague terms). All you need to do is go to the fairy fountain in north clock town and find that part of her is missing. Go look around town for the tiny fairy and then return to speak to the now complete great fairy. She will tell you about an old man you need to speak to.

To get to him, you have to gain passage to the bombers' headquarters, on the other side of which the old man's tower is located. Talk to the boy in north clock town and he will challenge you to a game of hide and seek. Win his game to learn the password to the bombers' hideout, located in east clock town.

After you get through the hideout and to the tower, talk to the old man and he will let you use his telescope. Use it to find the skull kid dancing around on top of the clock tower. The moon will shed a tear shortly after.

Go directly outside to pick up the moon's tear. Take it to south clock town and approach the yellow deku flower. A business scrub will pop out and mention needing a moon's tear. Give him the moon's tear in exchange for the deed to the plot.

This deku flower will allow you to reach the platform with the piece of heart that you probably noticed before. There is also a large doorway that is only opened at midnight on the final day. You can either occupy yourself with exploring until that time or dance with the scarecrow in the tower for a while to advance time.

When you enter the door on the night of the final day, you will enter an encounter with the skull kid. Shoot him with the magical bubbles the fairy gave you and he will drop the ocarina. Pick it up and after the cutscene, play the song of time. It will allow you to transport yourself back in time and save your game.

Everything in the game must be accomplished in three days, because that's when the world ends Donnie Darko style. The ocarina is used primarily to manipulate time so that you are able to accomplish everything before that event. Have fun!

I have the 3ds version of majoras mask and I have to admit the game seems intimidating at first. Having three days to accomplish things made me put off playing the game shortly after I started. I still haven't put much time into my copy either... The sad part is I know there are a ton of ways to manipulate time I just feel overwhelmed at first... I'm going to give this another try once I finish ff7.

Sut wrote:I've not played the Majora's Mask but if I have no clue what to do in a game especially really early on. It would put me off massively. It is not good game design.

Majora's Mask does a fine job of putting you on track, though. There's really no reason to be confused if you read what characters are telling you. Definitely don't be put off of MM as it's one of the best Zeldas. It's no more or less confusing than Ocarina of Time, LttP, or any of the other greats.

VideoGameCritic wrote:ptdebate,I am past that part, and yet the three-day process has restarted. Not sure what I'm supposed to work towards now.

From what I played of the game (a few cycles of days), start treating the side quests as main quests. You should be setting as much right as possible, and you'll end up where you need to be. It's Groundhog Day.

Also, apparently the song that slows down time so the 3 days go slower is important to making things more enjoyable.

Critic, I totally understand how you feel. I really enjoyed Ocarina of Time 3D en A Link Between Worlds, but I can't seem to get into this one either (I never played the original). Despite all the added hint functions, for me it's often still unclear what to do or where to go, it doesn't feel as streamlined as the other Zelda games for me. I'm willing to give it another chance, but it's just so different from the regular Zelda games for it I find it hard to get into. (The 3D remake looks pretty good though).